Have you ever seen the statue of that naked man that’s setting on that rock with his elbow on his knee and his chin in his hand and wonder what he was thinking? I have. I thought that maybe he was wondering how he was going to explain to his wife what happened to his clothes when he got home. Turns out I was wrong; he really knew where his clothes were all along. He had hid them in the bushes across the sidewalk. He was just trying to be a natural man; you know, one with nature, and he thought going commando would get him there. All it was really going to do was get him arrested, embarrassed, or both.

When I feel the need to get natural, I go to a tract of land that I own and sit (with my clothes on) and clear my mind, look at the wildlife, breathe in the fresh air, don’t let the trees get in the way of me seeing the forest and just get lost in the moment.

After awhile my thoughts begin to come back to me and I can reflect on my life and really do an old fashioned reality check and honestly evaluate where I am: Does my wife know she’s still the only one? Do my kids know that I am still in love with their mom, and that I’m proud of them? Do they know that I make a conscious effort to be a good dad and a better husband? If I can answer "yes" to these questions then all is well with the world. If not then I head to the house and remove any cloud of doubt of where my priorities are.

I’m just glad I have a place to go to when I need to unwind, and I want to thank that man sitting on that rock for giving me pause to think. By the way, do you think our friend ever figured it out? Life’s not about material things. It’s about relationships. Relationships with family, friends, and the land.